Heavy Horses

Jethro Tull celebrated a decade in the music business with a second compilation, Repeat – The Best of Jethro Tull – Vol II (released in November 1977), and their 11th studio album—no small feat. On Heavy Horses, Ian Anderson continues his lyrical dalliance with most things country, including farm animals and...two songs about mice. Anderson again sticks to the tried-and-true Tull formula he first pitched on Too Old To Rock ‘n' Roll: Too Young To Die!, and precious little seems to have changed, save the song's titles. Darryl Way lends a fiddle to the upbeat jig of "Acres Wild." In sharp contrast is the altogether heavy "No Lullaby;" like the previous album's "Pibroch," it's this album's potent rocker. While "Journeyman" reveals a little nostalgia with a twinge of old Tull, the album mostly opts for acoustic numbers that bypass instrumental flash for richer arrangements. Technical perfection may have its place, but was rock ‘n' roll ever supposed to sound so sterile? "Moths" and "Rover" opt for a little simplicity, while the title track sports a big orchestral gown. Despite the rural nature of the compositions, Anderson's voice again sounds like it was canned in a studio; he is almost always doubled-tracked, sounding both hoarse and processed. Regardless, the album still scored well on the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching into the Top 20s. The band then set off on the annual round of touring, dragging along their Masion Rouge mobile studio to record what would make up their next release: the live double-album Bursting Out. Former Blackpool mate and Stealers Wheel bassist Tony Williams replaced an ill John Glascock on the US leg of the tour. Released later in the year, it again placed Tull into the Top 20 on both the US and UK charts.